Old Testament

Leviticus 17-18

^17:1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ^17:2"Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them: 'This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, ^17:3Whatever man there is of the house of Israel, who kills an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, ^17:4and hasn't brought it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to offer it as an offering to Yahweh before the tabernacle of Yahweh: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people. ^17:5This is to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to Yahweh, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to Yahweh. ^17:6The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of Yahweh at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet savor to Yahweh. ^17:7They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.'

^17:8"You shall say to them, 'Any man there is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, ^17:9and doesn't bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to sacrifice it to Yahweh; that man shall be cut off from his people.

^17:10"'Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. ^17:11For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. ^17:12Therefore I have said to the children of Israel, "No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood."

^17:13"'Whatever man there is of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten; he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust. ^17:14For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life: therefore I said to the children of Israel, "You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."

^17:15"'Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a sojourner, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening: then he shall be clean. ^17:16But if he doesn't wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.'"

^18:1Yahweh said to Moses, ^18:2"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'I am Yahweh your God. ^18:3You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived: and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; neither shall you walk in their statutes. ^18:4You shall do my ordinances, and you shall keep my statutes, and walk in them: I am Yahweh your God. ^18:5You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances; which if a man does, he shall live in them: I am Yahweh.

^18:6"'None of you shall approach anyone who are his close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am Yahweh.

^18:7"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

^18:8"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife: it is your father's nakedness.

^18:9"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home, or born abroad.

^18:10"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son's daughter, or of your daughter's daughter, even their nakedness: for theirs is your own nakedness.

^18:11"'You shall not uncoverThe nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.

"'^18:12You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister: she is your father's near kinswoman.

^18:13"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister: for she is your mother's near kinswoman.

^18:14"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, you shall not approach his wife: she is your aunt.

^18:15"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law: she is your son's wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

^18:16"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: it is your brother's nakedness.

^18:17"'You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

^18:18"'You shall not take a wife to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is yet alive.

^18:19"'You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.

^18:20"'You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, and defile yourself with her.

^18:21"'You shall not give any of your children to sacrifice to Molech; neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am Yahweh.

^18:22"'You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman. That is detestible.

^18:23"'You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it; neither shall any woman give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

^18:24"'Don't defile yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled. ^18:25The land was defiled: therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomitted out her inhabitants. ^18:26You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who sojourns among you; ^18:27(for all these abominations have the men of the land done, that were before you, and the land became defiled); ^18:28that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

^18:29"'For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. ^18:30Therefore you shall keep my charge, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs, which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them: I am Yahweh your God.'"

New Testament

Luke 18

^18:1He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, ^18:2saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who didn't fear God, and didn't respect man. ^18:3A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Defend me from my adversary!' ^18:4He wouldn't for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, ^18:5yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'"

^18:6The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. ^18:7Won't God avenge his elect, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? ^18:8I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

^18:9He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. ^18:10"Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. ^18:11The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ^18:12I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.' ^18:13But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' ^18:14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

^18:15They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. ^18:16Jesus summoned them, saying, "Allow the little children to come to me, and don't hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ^18:17Most assuredly, I tell you, whoever doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it."

^18:18A certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

^18:19Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one -- God. ^18:20You know the commandments: 'Don't commit adultery,' 'Don't murder,' 'Don't steal,' 'Don't give false testimony,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"

^18:21He said, "I have observed all these things from my youth up."

^18:22When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have, and distribute it to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me."

^18:23But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was very rich.

^18:24Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! ^18:25For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God."

^18:26Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"

^18:27But he said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

^18:28Peter said, "Look, we have left everything, and followed you."

^18:29He said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the Kingdom of God's sake, ^18:30who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life."

^18:31He took the twelve aside, and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed. ^18:32For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on. ^18:33They will scourge and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again."

^18:34They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they didn't understand the things that were said. ^18:35It happened, as he came near Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the road, begging. ^18:36Hearing a multitude going by, he asked what this meant. ^18:37They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. ^18:38He cried out, "Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!" ^18:39Those who led the way rebuked him, that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "You son of David, have mercy on me!"

^18:40Standing still, Jesus commanded him to be brought to him. When he had come near, he asked him, ^18:41"What do you want me to do?"

He said, "Lord, that I may see again."

^18:42Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you."

^18:43Immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.